‘Endosulfan’ is a long-bleeding wound on the Malayali psyche. Hundreds of people have died under the horrible impact of the aerial spraying of the insecticide on the cashew plantations of the government-owned Plantation Corporation of Kerala in 11 panchayat areas in Kasaragod district. Thousands still live out their hellish lives.
M.A. Rahman, retired Malayalam professor, writer, and documentary film-maker, has helped to project the pain and silent wails of the victims on to the Malayali psyche through his writings over the past 16 years. His Oaro Jeevanum Vilappettathaanu (every life is precious), a collection of 63 essays on endosulfan victims, has just won the prestigious Odakkuzhal Award. More importantly to him, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the State government to pay relief of up to Rs.5 lakh each to the victims within three months. Excerpts from an interview:
What does the Supreme Court verdict mean to you as a campaigner for endosulfan victims?
It’s a vindication of my stand that the victims be first paid the ‘relief’ ordered by the National Human Rights Commission in 2010. This is not compensation, but relief; the compensation will follow based on the international norm of ‘polluter pays.’ The NHRC’s directive is a constitutionally mandated order for relief which was based on the National Institute of Occupation Hazard study which found ‘endocrine disruption’ caused by endosulfan in the victims. I always argued that the campaigners should first fight for this specific relief and not to rush into making deals with the government and thus diluting the victims’ cause. The verdict is a great victory for the victims and their families.
It’s a coincidence that the verdict and the announcement of the award for your book on endosulfan came just a couple of days apart .
I am pleasantly surprised. The verdict is on the petitions by the Democratic Youth Federation f India, environmentalist Vandana Shiva, and our organisation Endosulfan Victims Support Aid Group (Envisag), which routed the petition of 10 mothers of endosufan victims.
As for the award, it is usually given to poetry or fiction writers. I was surprised that my book, which is the voice of the victims and which speaks the truth based on personal experiences and documents, was selected for such a highly regarded award. I hope the award will highlight the victims’ cause.
How did you get involved in the endosulfan campaign?
I hail from Uduma in Kasaragod district and hence I was familiar with the issue. The endosulfan disaster is the biggest human-rights violation Kerala has ever witnessed. The human being in me could not ignore the silent sufferings of the helpless, innocent victims. I first wrote a four-part series; then made a documentary film; and then scores of articles, lectures, debates and campaigns. I am also a photographer, creative writer, and painter. Every aspect of my creative and daily life got involved in it. We will be moving back to my hometown in a few months and I am sure that for the rest of my life I shall be involved in this.
You have differences of opinion with other campaign groups and they seem to be isolating you. Why?
All through my campaign I have faced opposition and even threats from political parties and various interest groups. Now, there are several streams within the endosulfan campaigners. My focus in on reaching relief and support to the victims and their families, who are invariably engulfed in gloom and psychological stress. I believe that getting financial relief and healthcare support for the victims while they are still alive is more important. Some groups are keen on making temporary compromises with the government. I am also against taking the victims to Thiruvananthapuram and other places for long-term agitations, because they have already suffered a lot. The victims should not be objectified. My strategy is ‘samaravum santhwanavum’ (agitation and relief measures) and sustainable compensation.
